Puerto Rico Faces Island-Wide Blackout Before Easter Weekend

A massive blackout struck Puerto Rico, leaving the U.S. territory without power as its largely Catholic residents prepared for Easter weekend, officials reported. The outage disrupted daily life across the island. Puerto Rico’s electrical grid has faced chronic issues since Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Officials did not specify the cause of the island-wide power failure. Efforts to restore electricity were underway, but no timeline was provided.

Easter is a major religious holiday in Puerto Rico, marked by community events. The blackout likely halted preparations and celebrations.

Puerto Rico’s population of about 3.2 million relies on a fragile power grid. Past outages have sparked protests over infrastructure neglect.

The territory’s government has faced criticism for slow grid modernization. Federal aid has supported some upgrades since Maria.

Some residents demand urgent investment in renewable energy solutions. Others argue that short-term fixes are more practical given budget constraints.

The outage may intensify calls for federal support to rebuild the grid. Critics caution that aid must be paired with local accountability.

The blackout underscores Puerto Rico’s ongoing infrastructure challenges. It may fuel debates about the territory’s energy future.